Strategic Workforce Planning for Long Term Resilience
Strategic Workforce Planning is essential for labor intensive industries with a complex headcount-driven capacity to improve resiliency and optimize the bottom line. ORTEC offers tailored software that leverages proven methods, established workflows and technology to enhance long-term workforce planning through insight, forecasting, and scenario management.
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Industry:
All industries
What is Strategic Workforce Planning?
Strategic Workforce planning holistically covers the long term planning, forecasting and scenario-management of Demand, Capacity, Skill-mix and Contract-mix for labor intensive industries with a complex headcount-driven capacity. The goal is to provide a resilient, flexible and happy workforce, a workforce that is ready for what the future holds. While operational planning focuses on making the best use of the resources and capacity available, strategic planning enables organizations to establish the preconditions required for smooth and efficient operations.
Why Spend Time on advanced Strategic Workforce Planning?
Managing large-scale distribution centers, factories, or plants is not limited to efficient production and logistics; it requires a workforce that adapts to dynamic business demands. Challenges like labor shortages, turnover, and vacation planning add complexity. Achieving the right mix of permanent, temporary, full-time, part-time workers across skill levels is critical. Through data, analytics, and scenario planning, strategic workforce planning strengthens resilience and paves the way for the workforce of the future.
What Are the Key Complexities in Strategic Workforce Planning?
Several challenges underscore the complexity and importance of workforce management:
Employee Turnover: Managing staffing gaps due to high attrition rates in physically demanding jobs requires proactive strategies.
Vacation Coverage: Strategic planning is essential to prevent productivity lapses during peak vacation times.
Productivity Variations: Temporary and seasonal hires offer flexibility but take time to reach efficiency as they acclimate to company processes.
Demand Fluctuations: Balancing staffing amid predictable and unforeseen demand changes, like holiday peaks, demands constant vigilance.
Suzanne Thomasson - Senior Business Consultant Strategic Workforce Planning
"Strategic workforce planning connects customer demand, operational capacity, and staffing. It's holistic thinking instead of separate puzzle pieces."
What are the 8 main Strategic Workforce questions?
- How many workers should be permanent vs. flexible?
- What's the ideal balance of full-time and part-time employees?
- When and how should employees be trained for specific production lines?
- Which staffing mix yields the best financial outcomes?
- Is it better to risk production delays or incur higher costs for additional staff?
- What's the optimal employee/contract structure for operational resilience?
- How do holidays impact capacity and vacation patterns?
- When do we need flexible workers, and are they accessible?
How ORTEC Assists with Strategic Workforce Planning
Our solutions identify workforce shortages and surpluses early, so you can make proactive, data-driven decisions. We account for key factors like:
- Expiring contracts
- Vacation schedules
- Unplanned absences (illness, absenteeism)
With scenario planning, you can prepare for multiple future scenarios and build a workforce strategy that is resilient, agile, and adaptable. This enables you to reduce labor costs - covering recruitment, training, and salaries - while maintaining operational excellence.
ORTEC Offers
- Comprehensive demand and supply planning software
- Enhanced HR planning processes
- Tools that align with your strategic goals and provide a competitive edge
- The ability to turn uncertainty into opportunity
Whether you need demand planning software or a complete workforce planning solution, ORTEC helps you optimize resources and stay competitive.
